Harrison Wickel
Encyclopedia
Harrison Paine "Muck" Wickel (September 6, 1912 — March 25, 1989) was a minor league baseball player, manager as well as a scout and World War II
veteran. He was also inducted into the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame.
, Wickel played from 1935 to 1942 and in 1946. He hit a combined .317 in 951 games, hitting as high as .368 in a season and as many as 23 home runs. In 1937, he led the Northeast Arkansas League
with 124 RBI. In 1939, he led the Mountain State League
with 142 RBI. He was an all-star shortstop in the 1936 Northeast Arkansas League and in 1939 and 1941 in the Mountain State League
.
in 1936, the Caruthersville Pilots
in 1936 and 1937, the New Iberia Cardinals
in 1938, the Daytona Beach Islanders
in 1938, the Williamson Red Birds
from 1939 to 1941, the Columbus Red Birds
in 1942 and the Decatur Commodores
. He led the Pilots to a league championship in 1936 and the Williamson Red Birds to a league championship in 1940. He was replaced by Jimmy Sanders
in 1938. As Sanders took Wickel's job with the Islanders in 1938, Wickel took Sanders' job with the Cardinals, so effectively it was a managerial trade.
Wickel died in Sherman Oaks, California, in 1989.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran. He was also inducted into the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame.
Playing career
Born in Reading, PennsylvaniaReading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
, Wickel played from 1935 to 1942 and in 1946. He hit a combined .317 in 951 games, hitting as high as .368 in a season and as many as 23 home runs. In 1937, he led the Northeast Arkansas League
Northeast Arkansas League
The Northeast Arkansas League was the name used by a pair of American minor league baseball leagues. The first of these started operations in 1909 and continued through 1911. The second version began operations for the 1936 season. It continued through the 1941 season.-1909:The teams from...
with 124 RBI. In 1939, he led the Mountain State League
Mountain State League
The Mountain State League was a Class-D professional baseball league that existed from 1936 to 1941 and a Class-C league in 1942.-1937:The league began play in 1937 with six teams: the Beckley Bengals, based in Beckley, West Virginia; the Welch Miners, based in Welch, West Virginia; the Williamson...
with 142 RBI. He was an all-star shortstop in the 1936 Northeast Arkansas League and in 1939 and 1941 in the Mountain State League
Mountain State League
The Mountain State League was a Class-D professional baseball league that existed from 1936 to 1941 and a Class-C league in 1942.-1937:The league began play in 1937 with six teams: the Beckley Bengals, based in Beckley, West Virginia; the Welch Miners, based in Welch, West Virginia; the Williamson...
.
Managing career
Wickel managed from 1936 to 1942 and in 1946. He managed the West Plains BadgersWest Plains Badgers
The West Plains Badgers were a Northeast Arkansas League team based in West Plains, Missouri, USA that played in 1936. They were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals. Before the season was over, they moved to Caruthersville, Missouri and became the Caruthersville Pilots. They were managed by...
in 1936, the Caruthersville Pilots
Caruthersville Pilots
The Caruthersville Pilots were a Northeast Arkansas League baseball team based in Caruthersville, Missouri, USA that played from 1936 to 1940. They were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals....
in 1936 and 1937, the New Iberia Cardinals
New Iberia Cardinals
The New Iberia Cardinals were a Evangeline League baseball team that played from 1934 to 1942, 1946 to 1947, in 1949 and in 1953. They were based in New Iberia, Louisiana, USA and were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1935 to 1941 and the Boston Red Sox in 1946. One of their home ball...
in 1938, the Daytona Beach Islanders
Daytona Beach Islanders
Daytona Beach Islanders was the name used by several different minor league baseball teams that have all played in the Florida State League.-History:...
in 1938, the Williamson Red Birds
Williamson Red Birds
The Williamson Red Birds were a Mountain State League baseball team based in Williamson, West Virginia, USA that played from 1939 to 1942. They were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals....
from 1939 to 1941, the Columbus Red Birds
Columbus Red Birds (Georgia)
For the team based in Columbus, Ohio, see: Columbus Red BirdsThe Columbus Red Birds were a South Atlantic League baseball team based in Columbus, Georgia, USA that played from 1936 to 1942. They were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals and played at Golden Park.They won two league championships...
in 1942 and the Decatur Commodores
Decatur Commodores
The Decatur Commodores were a professional minor league baseball team based in Decatur, Illinois. They played, with sporadic interruptions, from 1900 to 1974 in a variety of minor leagues, but spent the majority of their existence in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League , later joining the...
. He led the Pilots to a league championship in 1936 and the Williamson Red Birds to a league championship in 1940. He was replaced by Jimmy Sanders
Jimmy Sanders (baseball)
James Raburn Sanders was a successful minor league baseball player and manager. He was born in Penfield, Georgia, United States. In 1935, he was given the title of United States minor league baseball batting champion for the year of 1934...
in 1938. As Sanders took Wickel's job with the Islanders in 1938, Wickel took Sanders' job with the Cardinals, so effectively it was a managerial trade.
Wickel died in Sherman Oaks, California, in 1989.
External links
- "Wickel General Manager in Fort Worth of Texas Loop" - Reading Eagle
- "Trailing World Sport Events", Southeast MissourianSoutheast MissourianThe Southeast Missourian is a daily newspaper published in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States, and serves the southeastern portion of Missouri.- History :...
, July 2, 1936 - "Names in the News" - Los Angeles Times
- http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0NUoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MdIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5717,1495087&dq=harrison-wickel&hl=en"Trailing World Sport Events (1937)", Southeast MissourianSoutheast MissourianThe Southeast Missourian is a daily newspaper published in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States, and serves the southeastern portion of Missouri.- History :...